Railroad vehicle

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a railroad vehicle having a truck structure in which soundproof effect can sufficiently be enhanced. 
     Soundproof member  22  having flexibility is mounted to support member  21  fixed to axle box  15 . The support member is fixed to the axle box at an outer side of a vehicle body at wheel  14  in such a manner that the lower end thereof is located above a position set beforehand. The soundproof member is arranged parallel to the rail at the outer side of the vehicle body at the position where the wheel rolls on rail  17 . The upper part of the soundproof member is mounted to the support member in such a manner that the position thereof in the vertical direction can be adjusted, and the lower end of the soundproof member is located above a surface of the rail.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a railroad vehicle, and more particularly to a railroad vehicle having mounted thereto a truck having a sound insulating structure in order to suppress diffusion of rolling noise of wheels.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a railroad vehicle running at high speed, a soundproof cover is provided to suppress diffusion of operation noise from an underfloor equipment that causes noise, for environmental consideration. There has been known a truck for a railroad vehicle in which, in order to suppress diffusion of rolling noise of a wheel, a noise absorbing material along a longitudinal direction of a rail is fixed to an axle box body at a position near a position where the wheel is in contact with the rail and at a position apart from the side face of the wheel by the width of the rail toward the width direction of the truck (e.g., see Patent Document 1).

In the truck for the railroad vehicle, the noise absorbing material is attached to a mounting bearing, which is made of an iron metal plate and is mounted to the axle box body, at the side of the rail. When the running railroad vehicle is derailed, the rail is held in between the wheels and the noise absorbing material (mounting receiver) so as to attain a guide function by the rail.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT Patent Document

-   [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No.     2006-272994

However, in the structure described in Patent Document 1, the position of the lower end of the mounting receiver is restricted to a position higher than a rolling stock gauge or other set limits, since the mounting receiver mounted to the axle box body is made of a metal. Therefore, the position of the noise absorbing material is higher than the position where the wheel is in contact with the rail, resulting in that the rolling noise from the lower part of the noise absorbing material is diffused in the ambient environment. Accordingly, a sufficient sound absorbing effect cannot be obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

In view of this, an object of the present invention is to provide a railroad vehicle having a truck structure in which a soundproof member, which absorbs a rolling nose of a wheel or reflects the rolling noise in the direction toward the inside of the vehicle body, can be made close to the position where the wheel is in contact with the rail, and the soundproof effect can sufficiently be enhanced.

Means for Solving the Problems

In order to attain the foregoing object, the railroad vehicle according to the present invention includes a truck in which both ends of an axle respectively mounted to a wheel are supported by an axle box so as to be capable of rotating, the railroad vehicle including: a metallic support member fixed to the axle box; and a soundproof member having flexibility and is mounted to the support member, wherein the support member is mounted at the outer side of the vehicle body at the wheel such that the upper part thereof is fixed to the axle box in a state in which the lower end thereof is located above a position set beforehand, and the soundproof member is arranged in the direction parallel to a rail at the outer side of the vehicle body at the position where the wheel rolls on the rail, wherein the upper part of the soundproof member is attached to the support member, while the lower end of the soundproof member is located above a surface of the rail.

The soundproof member in the railroad vehicle according to the present invention is mounted to the support member in such a manner that the position thereof in the vertical direction can be adjusted. The upper part of the support member is fixed to any one of the bottom surface of the axle box, the outer surface at the lower part of the axle box, the outer surface of the axle support portion of the axle box, and the inner surface of the axle support portion of the axle box.

Effect of The Invention

According to the railroad vehicle of the present invention, the soundproof member has flexibility, whereby the soundproof member can be arranged at the position lower than a rolling stock gauge or other set limits. Therefore, the position of the soundproof member can be made close to the position where the wheel is in contact with the rail. Accordingly, the soundproof effect by the soundproof member can be enhanced. Since the soundproof member is attached such that the position in the vertical direction can be adjusted, the present invention can easily be adapted to the change in the height due to the wheel turning. The holding member can be fixed to any selected one of the bottom surface of the axle box, the outer surface of the axle box, the outer surface of the axle support portion of the axle box, and the inner surface of the axle support portion of the axle box, according to the structure of the axle box and relation to the other devices mounted to the axle box. Therefore, the support member can be adapted to various types of the axle box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a truck of a railroad vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the essential part of the truck illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the essential part of the truck illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating an essential part of a truck of a railroad vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the essential part of the truck illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating an essential part of a truck of a railroad vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the essential part of the truck illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating an essential part of a truck of a railroad vehicle according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the essential part of the truck illustrated in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along a line X-X in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a front view illustrating an essential part of a truck of a railroad vehicle according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side view illustrating a part of a cross-section of the essential part of the truck illustrated in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a front view illustrating an essential part of a truck of a railroad vehicle according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a side view illustrating a part of a cross-section of the essential part of the truck illustrated in FIG. 13.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In a first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, a truck 10 of a railroad vehicle according to the present embodiment includes a truck frame 12 that elastically supports a vehicle body through an air spring 11, and a pair of front and rear wheel sets 14 held at the front and the rear of the truck frame 12 via a corresponding axle box suspension 13. The axle box suspension 13 is a so-called wing type. A wing portion 15 a is projected at the front and the rear of an axle box 15 that holds both ends of an axle 14 a of the wheel set 14, and a pair of axle springs 16 made of a coil spring is disposed between the wing portion 15 a and the truck frame 12. A soundproof member 22 having flexibility is provided at the bottom surface of the axle box 15 through a metallic support member 21.

The support member 21 in the present embodiment has a fixed plate portion 21 a that is fixed to the bottom surface of the axle box 15 with fixing bolts 23, plural support arms 21 b mounted at the bottom surface of the fixed plate portion 21 a in the direction of a sleeper, and a mounting plate portion 21 c mounted at the outer end of the support arms 21 b. The mounting plate portion 21 c is made of a metallic material, and is arranged such that the plate surface directs toward the rail direction and vertical direction at the outer side of the vehicle body at the wheel 14 b of the wheel set 14. The mounting plate portion 21 c is formed with a plurality of bolt insertion holes 24, which are elongated holes in the vertical direction, for mounting the soundproof member. The shape and size of the support member 21 are set such that the lowermost end of the support member 21, i.e., the lower edge of the mounting plate portion 21 c in the present embodiment, is located above a position set beforehand, e.g., a position that is set as a lower limit value of an unsprung device, specifically, a position above a rail surface by 60 to 70 mm.

The soundproof member 22 is a plate-like member arranged, in a direction parallel to the rail, at the outer side of the vehicle body at the position where the wheel 14 b rolls on the rail 17. Not only it has flexibility, but also it can absorb a rolling noise generated when the wheel 14 b rolls on the rail 17. The soundproof member 22 is also made of a material which has strength capable of enduring aerodynamic air flow and is excellent in weather resistance. For example, urethane foam, semihard rubber, or rubber used for an automobile tire can be used singly, or these materials can appropriately be combined, as the material.

The soundproof member 22 is mounted in such a manner that the lowermost end thereof is located above the top surface of the rail 17, e.g., above the rail surface by 10 to 30 mm, in order that the soundproof member 22 is not brought into contact with the rail 17 or a railroad crossing, when the railroad vehicle runs at the place where the rails 17 cross each other at a turnout or through a railroad crossing.

Plural mounting through-holes 25 corresponding to the bolt insertion holes 24 of the support member 21 are formed at the upper end of the soundproof member 22. The soundproof member 22 is attached to the support member 21 by mounting bolts 26 and mounting nuts 27 inserted respectively through the bolt insertion holes 24 and the mounting through-holes 25. When the position of inserting the mounting bolt 26 into the bolt insertion hole 24 is changed, the mounting height of the soundproof member 22, i.e., the position of the lowermost end of the soundproof member 22 can be adjusted. With this adjustability, even when the diameter of the wheel 14 b is decreased due to the wheel turning, the position of the lowermost end of the soundproof member 22 can easily be adjusted to the set position.

Since the plate-like soundproof member 22 having flexibility is provided in the direction parallel to the rail 17 at the outer side of the vehicle body at the position where the wheel 14 b rolls on the rail 17, the diffusion of the rolling noise of the wheel 14 b in the ambient environment can be prevented. In particular, the soundproof member 22 is arranged below the support member 21 that is fixed to the axle box 15 moving in the vertical direction together with the wheel 14 b, and the lower end of the metallic support member 21 is lowered to the position set beforehand. Further, the soundproof member 22 having flexibility is provided so as to be suspended at the bottom part of the support member 21. Therefore, the soundproof member 22 can surely be held and can be lowered to the position close to the rail 17, whereby the soundproof effect by the soundproof member 22 can be enhanced.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention. In the description below, the components same as those in the first embodiment are identified by the same numerals, and the detailed description will not be repeated here.

The second embodiment illustrates the case in which an upper part of a plate-like support member 31 is fixed to the lower part of an outer surface of the axle box 15 with fixing bolts 32, and the soundproof member 22 same as that in the first embodiment is attached at the lower part of the support member 31. In this embodiment, plural bolt insertion holes 24, which are elongated holes in the vertical direction as in the first embodiment, are formed at the lower part of the support member 31. The soundproof member 22 is attached to the support member 31 by the mounting bolts 26 and the mounting nuts 27 inserted respectively into the bolt insertion holes 24 and mounting through-holes 25, in such a manner that the vertical position thereof can be adjusted.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an upper part of a support member 41 is fixed to the outer surface of an axle support portion 15 b of the axle box 15. The axle support portion 15 b is formed to have a cylindrical shape so as to enclose the end of the axle 14 a. An annular fixing portion 41 a corresponding to the outer periphery of the end face of the cylindrical axle support portion 15 b is provided at the upper part of the support member 41, while a mounting plate portion 41 b, which is arranged such that the plate surface directs toward the rail direction and the vertical direction, is provided at the lower part of the support member 41, as in the above-mentioned respective embodiments. Plural bolt insertion holes 24, which are elongated holes in the vertical direction, are formed at the lower part of the mounting plate portion 41 b, as in the above-mentioned embodiments.

In this embodiment, the fixing portion 41 a of the support member 41 is fixed to the outer surface of the axle support portion 15 b by the plural fixing bolts 42, and the soundproof member 22 is attached to the lower part of the support member 41 by the mounting bolts 26 and the mounting nuts 27 inserted respectively into the bolt insertion holes 24 formed on the mounting plate portion 41 b and mounting through-holes 25 formed on the upper part of the soundproof member 22, in such a manner that the vertical position thereof can be adjusted.

FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an upper part of a support member 51 is fixed to the inner surface of the axle support portion 15 b of the axle box 15. An annular fixing member 51 b having an axle insertion hole 51 a, which has an inner diameter by which the axle 14 a can be inserted, is provided at the upper part of the support member 51. The fixing portion 51 b is fixed to the inner surface of the axle support portion 15 b by plural fixing bolts 52, in a state in which the axle 14 a held by the axle support portion 15 b is inserted into the axle insertion hole 51 a.

As in the above-mentioned respective embodiments, a mounting plate portion 51 c is mounted at the lower part of the support member 51 in such a manner that the plate surface directs toward the rail direction and vertical direction. Plural bolt insertion holes 24, which are elongated holes in the vertical direction, are formed on the mounting plate portion 51 c. In this embodiment, the soundproof member 22 is attached to the support member 51 by the mounting bolts 26 and the mounting nuts 27 inserted respectively into the bolt insertion holes 24 formed at the lower part of the support member 51 and mounting through-holes 25 formed on the upper part of the soundproof member 22, in such a manner that the vertical position thereof can be adjusted.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a support member 61 is inserted, instead of an adjusting plate inserted between the top surface of the wing portion 15 a and the lower end of the axle spring 16. Specifically, the L-shaped support member 61 is used, which includes a pair of horizontal fixing portions 61 a having a cutout formed at the middle portion in the rail direction corresponding to the axle support portion 15 b, and a mounting plate portion 61 b extending in the rail direction and bending downward in the vertical direction from one side edge of the fixing portion 61 a. The fixing portion 61 a is inserted and fixed between the top surface of the wing portion 15 a and the lower end of the axle spring 16. The soundproof member 22 is mounted at the lower part of the support member 61 by the mounting bolts 26 and the mounting nuts 27 that are inserted through the bolt insertion holes 24 and the mounting through-holes 25 formed on the mounting plate portion 61 b extending downward from the outer end of the fixing portion 61 a, in such a manner that the vertical position thereof can be adjusted.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the inserting direction of the support member 61 illustrated in the fifth embodiment is made reverse to that in the fifth embodiment. Specifically, in the fifth embodiment, the support member 61 is arranged such that the mounting plate portion 61 b is located at the outside of the axle box 15. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the support member 61 is arranged such that the mounting plate portion 61 b is located at the inside of the axle box 15, wherein the soundproof member 22 mounted to the mounting plate portion 61 b so as to be capable of being adjusted in the vertical direction and the wheels 14 a are made closer to each other than those of the fifth embodiment.

As described above, the shape of the support member supporting the soundproof member 22 is selected according to the structure and shape of the axle box in the truck of the railroad vehicle. Therefore, the present invention is applicable not only to a truck in which a lower part of an axle box is relatively large, such as a truck having a wing-type axle box suspension, but also to a truck in which an axle box is relatively small, such as a truck having a monolink-type or an axle-arm-type axle box suspension. The present invention is also applicable to a truck including a speed detector or a brake disk arranged at the outside of the axle box by appropriately selecting the mounting position of the support member.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 Truck 11 Air spring 12 Truck frame 13 Axle box suspension 14 Wheel set 14 a Axle 14 b Wheel 15 Axle box 15 a Wing portion 15 b Axle support portion 16 Axle spring 17 Rail 21 Support member 21 a Fixing plate portion 21 b Support arm 21 c Mounting plate portion 22 Soundproof member 23 Fixing bolt 24 Bolt insertion hole 25 Mounting through-hole 26 Mounting bolt 27 Mounting nut 31 Support member 32 Fixing bolt 41 Support member 41 a Fixing portion 41 b Mounting plate portion 42 Fixing bolt 51 Support member 51 a Axle insertion hole 51 b Fixing portion 51 c Mounting plate portion 52 Fixing bolt 61 Support member 61 a Fixing portion 61 b Mounting plate portion 

1. A railroad vehicle including a truck in which both ends of an axle respectively mounted to a wheel are supported by an axle box so as to be capable of rotating, the railroad vehicle comprising: a metallic support member fixed to the axle box; and a soundproof member having flexibility and is mounted to the support member, wherein the support member is mounted at an outer side of the vehicle body at the wheel such that an upper part thereof is fixed to the axle box in a state in which a lower end thereof is located above a position set beforehand, and the soundproof member is arranged in a direction parallel to a rail at the outer side of the vehicle body at a position where the wheel rolls on the rail, wherein the upper part of the soundproof member is attached to the support member, while the lower end of the soundproof member is located above a surface of the rail.
 2. The railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the soundproof member is attached to the support member in such a manner that a position in a vertical direction can be adjusted.
 3. The railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an upper part of the support member is fixed to a bottom surface of the axle box.
 4. The railroad vehicle according to claim 2, wherein an upper part of the support member is fixed to a bottom surface of the axle box.
 5. The railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the upper part of the support member is fixed to an outer surface of the lower part of the axle box.
 6. The railroad vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the upper part of the support member is fixed to an outer surface of the lower part of the axle box.
 7. The railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the upper part of the support member is fixed to an outer surface of an axle support portion of the axle box.
 8. The railroad vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the upper part of the support member is fixed to an outer surface of an axle support portion of the axle box.
 9. The railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the upper part of the support member is fixed to an inner surface of the axle support portion of the axle box.
 10. The railroad vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the upper part of the support member is fixed to an inner surface of the axle support portion of the axle box. 